Police used pepper spray to break up fights between Colombian and Uruguayan fans during a World Cup match at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium on Sunday, a spokesman for the event's local organising committee says.

Minor scuffles broke out inside the stadium as Colombia beat Uruguay 2-0 to advance to the quarter-finals, though fighting intensified on the external concourse after the match, committee spokesman Saint-Clair Milesi told reporters.

''Yes, the police did use pepper spray,'' Milesi said, without elaborating further.

Press representatives for Rio de Janeiro's public safety authority could not be reached for comment, while a spokesman for Rio's military police was unable to immediately provide further details.